James w



J. W. TEFFT.

BEE HIVE.

4Patented Sept. 14, 1886.

(No Model.)

N. PETERS, Phnmmhognphur. washnglmpl UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES V. TEFFT, OF COLLAMER, ASSIGNOR OF ONEHALF TO A. STANLEY HANCOCK, OF BUFFALO, NEV YORK.

BEE-tuve.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 343,126, dated September 14, 1886.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, vJAMEs W. TEEET, of Collamer, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bee-Hives, of which the'following is a specification.

This invention relates to auimprovement in the comb-frames of the hives, and in the means whereby the frames are supported in the hive, and has for its object to render the frames easily reversible while retaining a simple and `inexpensive construction, and to permit the frames to be readily transferred from the brood-chamber to the surplus-chamber, and vice versa.

My invention consists to these ends of the improvements which will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying d rawings, Figure l is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a bee-hive provided with myimprovements. Fig. 2 is a vertical crosssection of the hive. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section in line x w, Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the surplus-chamber, the frame being removed. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the section-frames. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the brood-frames. Fig. 7 y is ka perspective view of one of the separating-boards.

3o Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several iigures.

A represents the lower part of the casing of the hive provided with a bottom,- a, and -entrance a in the usual manner. The lower part is open at the top, and providedl at its front and rear sides with compartments ai and as for packing.

B represents the upper part of the casing, open at top and bottom', and resting upon a ledge, b, formed on the outer side of the lower part, A, near the top thereof. p

C represents the roof or cover, which rests on a ledge, c, formed on the outer side of the upper part, B, near its top.

D represents the brood-chamber, formed in the lower part, A, of the hive, and E represents the surplus-chamber, arranged in the upper part, B. l

F represents the reversible frames, which 5o are arranged in the brood-chamber as well as Application filed March G, 1886. Serial No. 194,305. (No model.)

inthe surplus-chamber.' Each frame F consists of horizontal top and bottom bars,f, and vertical end bars, f. These bars ff are cut away or recessed at each side, beginning at a short distance from each corner of the frame, 5.5 so that the corners form enlargements L(/,which rest against each other when two frames are placed side by side, while the recessed pon tions of the bars j' f form passages g for the bees between adjoining frames. The enlarged 6o corner portions serve to space the frames in the hive.

h represents horizontally-projecting lips, formed on two diagonally-opposite corners of each frame F, for the purpose of supporting the frames.

represents a supporting bar or ledge secured transversely in the brood-chamber to the upper portion of the lower case, A, so as to support the upper front corners of the 7o frames F in the brood-chamber, said frames resting on the ledge 'i by means of the lips l1.

j represents a raised transverse strip or rib secured transversely to the bottom of the lower case, A, at a short distance in front of the rear 7 5 wall of the same. so as to support the frames F iu the brood-chamber near their lower rear corners. The lips h are provided with oisets which hold the upright front bars, f', of the frames at a short distance from the front wall 8c of the' lower case, A,l as represented in Fig. 1, While the rear ends of the diagonally-opposite lips hbear against the inner side of the rear wall of thelower case, A. In this manner each frame is securely held in place in the lower case, A, in a simple and efficient manner. The rib j supports the'frames above the bottom board, a, and forms a space, k, between the rear wall of the case A and the rib j, which is advantageously used as a feedingcompart ment.4 1

One of the horizontal bars f of each frame F is slit leugthwise'for the reception of a combfoundation, L, as represented in Fig. 6.

M represents the sections which are inserted 9 5 in some of the frames and are composed of upright bars m and horizontal bars m', as represented in Fig. 5. The sections M are fitted snugly in the frames F, so as to hold themselves in place when inserted in the same. roo

The upright bars m are made as wide as the enlarged corners of the frames F, so that these bars iit against each other when two frames are placed side by side. rIhe horizontal bars m' are made of the same width as the recessed portions of the horizont-al bars/"of the frames, so as to form passages between the sections. The lips It of the frames are provided with openings n, through which thc bees pass from the rear sides of the frames to the feedingspace k, below the frame on the rear side of the broodchamber. The bees reach the feeding -space k from the inner portions of the frames F through the spaces between the recessed bottom picces, of said frames, said spaces extending rearwardly beyond the strip j, as represented in Fig. 3.

O represents one of the perforated separating -boards which are placed between the frames when it is necessary to separate the same. lhesc boards are provided on two diagonal]y-opposite sides with projecting lips o, similar in construction to the lips h on the frames F, and used for supporting said boards.

It is obvious that upon lifting the frames F out of the brood-chamber each frame can be readily reversed and be replaced in the broodchamber, so as to change the portion of the frame on which the bees work.

The surplus-chamber E is open at the top and bottom and rests on the frames of the brood-chamber. The chamber E is composed of end boards, p, and side boards, p. The latter are preferably provided with removable parts p2, which are held in place by turn-buttons p, If desired, the removable portions may be composed of panes of glass. rlhe end boards, p, are provided on their outer sides with handles or thnmb-piecesp, for lifting and carrying the surplus-chamber. One ofthe end boards, p, is provided at its upper end with a transverse ledge, (l, upon which rest thc lips l1y of the frames F.

1- reprcsents a cross piece or strip, which is secured transversely to the lower portions of the side pieces, p, and upon which the frames F of the surplus-chamber rest. rlhis crosspiece supports the frames properly in thcsurplus-chamber at a suitable height above the `frames in the broodchamber, and dispenses with the honey-board usually interposed bctween the brood-chamber and the surpluschamber.

The frames F,which are arranged in thcsurplus-cha1nber, can bc reversed in the same manner as the frames of the brood-chamber, and frames may be removed Vfrom the broodchamber and be reversed and placed into the surplus-chamber, and vice versa, for transferring the bees from one chamber to the other.

I claim as inyinventionl. The co1nbi11ation,with the brood-chamber provided at its upper end with a transverse ledge, z', and at the bottom with a transverse strip, j, of reversible frames F, resting upon the strip j, and provided at two diagonallyopposite corners with projecting lips h,the lips at the upper corners of the frames resting upon the ledge t, substantially as set forth.

2. rEhe eombinatiomwith the surplus-chan1- ber consisting of a rectangular framcopen at top and bottom and provided at its upper end with a transverse ledge, q, and at the bottom with a transverse strip, r, of reversible frames F,provided at two diagonally-opposite corners with projecting lips It, and supported by the ledge q and strip r, substantially as set forth.

3. The co mbination,with the brood-chamber provided with a transverse top ledge, t', anda transverse bottom strip, j, of a surplus-chamber resting upon the brood-chamber, and pr0 vided with a transverse top ledge, q,and transverse bottom strip, r, and reversible frames F, provided at two diagonally-opposite corners with projecting lips h,substantially as set forth.

i. The surplus-chamber consisting of a rectangular frame open at top and bottom and provided with removable side pieces, p, lockingbuttons p, top ledge, q, and bottom strip, r, substantially as set forth.

5. rlhe combination, with the brood-chamber, of a raised bottoni strip, y', arranged in front of the rear wall o1n the brood-chamber, with an intervening feeding space, k, and frames F, resting upon the strip j and extending rearwardly beyond the same, and having openings formed betwecnthe frames in rear of the strip j, through which the bees reach the feed-chamber 7a, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with a brood-chamber, of a raised bottom strip, j, arranged in front of the rear wall of the brood-chamber, with an intervening feeding space, Zr, and frames F, resting upon the strip j, and provided with horizontal projecting lips It, resting against the rear wall of the broodchamber and having openings a, through which the bees reach the feeding chamber k, substantially as set forth.

Tit-ness my hand this 7th day of January, 1886.

JAMES XV. TEFFT.

`\Vitnesses:

JN0. J. BoNNnn, Osea-in Scrutin.

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